scarlet fever

[balto]

just wondering if anyone can shed any light on the story my sister was telling me today, that some schools in wick are being warned about an outbreak of scarlet fever, not really sure what it is but it doesnt sound to nice.

[mccaugm]

If I remember right, its called Scarletina and my sister had it when she was very young. I vaguely remember her skin being a funny colour.

According to the BBC...... http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/scarletfever1.shtml

Scarlet fever is caused by group A streptococcal bacteria and can affect people of any age. However, it's most common between the ages of six and 12.
What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms include a sore throat and headache, fever, vomiting and swollen neck glands.
The tongue develops a thick, white coating, which peels after four or five days leaving it swollen with a red, 'strawberry' appearance.

The rash usually develops around the second day of infection. It's caused by toxins released during the condition and tends to look like bad sunburn. It may itch and feels like sandpaper with tiny bumps.
It first appears on the neck, before spreading to the chest and back, then to the rest of the body.
It fades around six days after the onset of sore throat symptoms. The skin affected by the rash may peel, particularly around the fingertips, toes and groin.

[airdlass]

Not a very nice illness - I had it when I was little I was quite poorly and was kept off school for a while. The thing I remember the most is my skin peeling.:eek:

[miranda]

i too had this when i was little..remember having very pink skin..feeling awful and being made to drink.. but i didnt want to drink as it hurt:(

didnt think it was so common now adays:eek:

[BRIE]

I had it when I was in my late teens, I was really ill with it! its very painful & alot worse if your older.

[rob16d]

I really hope this doesn't affect anyone...it doesn't sound pleasant at all! Where did you hear about the possible outbreak?

[balto]

I really hope this doesn't affect anyone...it doesn't sound pleasant at all! Where did you hear about the possible outbreak?
my sister was saying one of her friends got told about it from the school when she was putting her little girl, not sure which school it is but it is in wick.

[chaz]

Know there were chicken pox on the go, but dont like the sound of this:( none of us have had it and 7 ill people would be a nightmare:eek:

[Allsorts]

My daughter has had it twice now. The first time when she was 7 and was off school for 10 days but wasn't that bad and then again last year when she was really ill with it and off school for almost 3 weeks. Her skin was peeling for months afterwards.
I didn't think it did the rounds so to speak. I was told it was a strepth throat and that very few people actually get scarlet fever and it was the first time the gp we saw last year had seen it.

[Mister Squiggle]

I had scarlet fever when I was 19. I remember my GP, an old "colonial" type who had served abroad for years in various outposts of the British Empire (and who was by now close to retirement) recoiling in horror from me and saying "My God, I haven't seen a case of this since my days in Burma!" Seriously, it was like a sketch from "Ripping Yarns".
It was frankly bloody awful to have. I was sick (vomiting, fever) for about a week and my skin came out in a hideous, hot rash. Off uni for two weeks, lots of bed rest and painkillers. I couldn't eat and I felt like I was going to die (just as my GP had predicted in his woeful tones).
I think it's worse if you get it when you are older, like I did, but I swear it ruined my immune system for quite some time afterwards - I got every cold going for a good few years afterwards. Now, if I get run-down, quite often I get symptoms again (tired, sore throat, nausea etc) and I'm sure it stemmed from the scarlet fever.

[Ricco]

Our whole family had Scarlet fever when I was a kid. They quaranteened our house - no-one allowed out nor in. Groceries were delivered to the gate and we had to collect from there. This lasted two weeks, I think.

I think Scarletina is a milder version - Scarlet fever was pretty nasty!

[George Brims]

I had scarlet fever when I was about 5 or 6. I remember not feeling particularly bad, and hating to be restricted to the indoors (beautiful weather of course). Interestingly, the Wikipedia entry says that it has become a much milder disease since the middle of the 20th century, for unknown reasons. Historically it could be quite nasty. I suppose that explains my mum's paranoid attitude to it, compared to how I actually felt.

Scarletina is just another name for scarlet fever, Ricco.

Why does everyone refer to chicken pox as if it was plural (but not box or fox)?

[anneoctober]

[quote=George Brims;352525]I had scarlet fever when I was about 5 or 6. I remember not feeling particularly bad, and hating to be restricted to the indoors (beautiful weather of course). Interestingly, the Wikipedia entry says that it has become a much milder disease since the middle of the 20th century, for unknown reasons. Historically it could be quite nasty. I suppose that explains my mum's paranoid attitude to it, compared to how I actually felt.
I had this too when I was little , not sure what age I was , but remember my mum & Auntie Babs talking about it. As we lived very close to George & his family, I wonder where I could have got the bug from.....??:D

[justine]

here are some of the symptons


Sore throat and fever (high temperature) are the typical first symptoms.
A bright red (scarlet) rash soon develops. This is caused by a toxin (poison) that is made by the streptococcal bacteria. The toxin gets into the blood from the infected throat. The rash starts as small red spots, usually on the neck and upper chest. It soon spreads to many other parts of the body. The face may become quite flushed. The rash blanches (goes white) if you press on it.
The tongue may become pale but coated with red spots ('strawberry tongue'). After a few days the whole tongue may look red.
Other common symptoms include: headaches, vomiting, being off food, and feeling generally unwell.
Treatment of scarlet fever

Antibiotics. A 10 day course of penicillin is usually advised. Other antibiotics are advised if you are allergic to penicillin. Symptoms usually go in a few days, but it is important to finish the course of antibiotics. This makes sure all the bacteria are killed and reduces the chance of complications.
Other treatments aim to keep the child comfortable until the illness goes.
Paracetamol (Calpol, Disprol, etc) reduces fever and eases aches and pains. Ibuprofen is an alternative.
Keep the child cool. If the room is warm then take all their clothes off.
Give lots of cool drinks. This helps lower the fever and prevent dehydration
Here are some complications with it...


Serious infection such as throat abscess, sinusitis, and spread of infection to the lungs which can cause pneumonia.
Late complications sometimes develop 2-3 weeks after the infection has gone. These are rheumatic fever (which can damage the heart) and kidney damage (glomerulonephritis). These are due to immune reactions in the kidneys, heart, joints and other organs following infection with streptococcal bacteria.
So some may say.thats one sh***y disease....Most children survive it unless the latter is contracted.....

I ve done a lot of reaing into childhood diseases..i have to with mine....

[brandy]

now this is pure rumor but i did find it odd to see the post on here.. but yesterday on the trip home from school. i did hear their was a woman who had scarlet fever. we were talking about how unusuak it is in this day and age.. and how it would have been our granparents that would have worried about it!